It was becoming an awful habit, one that let Daphne's spirits down a little bit each time, but she just couldn't stop checking her phone.

No new calls. No new texts. No new emails.

At least not from him.

In between takes with her new producer, Maxine Henkle, she couldn't fight the urge to tug her phone out of her pocket, hoping to see a missed call or text from Fred. Anything. But days turned into weeks, weeks morphed into months, and still no word from him. Complete silence and total distance.

But isn't that what she wanted?

She knew Fred had been angry and hurt when he'd left the hotel three months ago. It had caused a lasting pain in her own heart, but she hoped he'd come around to see things her way. To understand that while they were working together, remaining platonic friends just wasn't a possibility.

His lack of communication stung at her soul like a bee sting. Daphne was honest enough to admit it to herself, just not to the one person in the world she should.

There had always been a gravitational pull towards Fred, but making their relationship physical had only intensified that magnetism. From the moment her lips landed on his in the Mystery Machine, his arms pulling her close, his touch conveying the same deep need…it had awakened something inside Daphne. It uncovered a hole in her life, one that she hadn't even known existed until then. A blank abyss that was only made complete by Fred. And now…with him suddenly gone…that void ached.

She was aware of it from the time she opened her eyes in the morning until she laid herself down at night. It reared it's ugly head throughout the day, nearly everything around her stirring some treasured memory of Fred, and then in turn reminding her of his constant absence.

This new dilema came with a flood of emotions that weren't exactly pleasant and she wasn't prepared for it. Among them were loneliness, yearning, and…

Regret.

Had she made a mistake? Was all this distance really for the best?

Daphne sighed, tucking her phone back into her jacket pocket, along with Fred's well worn orange ascot, now her own personal keepsake.

She turned towards Maxine, who was giving her a thumbs up, indicating that their filming was complete for the day. Daphne smiled and nodded her head politely as her new producer powered down the camera.

She watched as Maxine carefully packed away the equipment. Her new crewmate was very talented. She was fresh from college, with new ideas for the show, and endless enthusiasm. Daphne could see why Cosimo had been so hard headed about trading Fred initially, the young woman clearly had a bright future in showbiz. But with all her abilities, Maxine just wasn't Fred.

Often while shooting, Daphne would forget that Fred wasn't there and would be momentarily shocked when she was reminded of Maxine's styled afro behind the lens and not blonde waves, or her big friendly brown eyes instead of Fred's crisp blues.

Jeepers, I miss him.

But even more than that.

I love him.

Daphne placed her fingertips back into her pocket to stroke the threadbare fabric of the ascot, her mind wandering to a much sweeter memory.

In a deserted national park, way past closing time, Fred perched his weight above her. He was careful not to crush her body with his larger one as he moved inside her, his thrusts getting needy and desperate. Daphne's ankles were locked on the small of his back, his groans loud in the small forest clearing and driving her nearly as wild as his movements. Her whimpers were softer, and easily swallowed by his mouth. So lost in the sensation was she, that Daphne didn't feel the pebbles and twigs beneath her back, didn't care about how her violet suit jacket would be filthy, and didn't mind one iota that a park ranger could stumble upon them at any minute.

The only thing that mattered was Fred. Them. Together. She knew part of this was a primal thing. A biological craving to be with an attractive man like him. But something else stirred, whispered in her ear that she desired more.

"Fred, please…", Daphne mouthed, nearly begging.

He buried his face into her neck, the feeling of lips and teeth grazing over her skin.

The contact proved to be their undoing and they tumbled over the edge into ecstacy together. She tightened her legs around his waist, with thoughts of "I love you I love you I love you I love you" filling her head. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried her hardest not to let the words slip out accidently.

When they both caught their breath, Fred rolled to his side, pausing to rake his fingers through her hair. She smiled and leaned into his touch. Somehow, these loving caresses afterwards felt even better than the intimate ones.

He picked a stray leaf from her hair, "Why won't you let me say it, Daph?"

He went to press his lips to her mouth, but she turned her head at the last second, his kiss landing instead on her cheek. Daphne sighed, the mood suddenly shattered by his question. "You know why."

"We can make it work."

Daphne brushed her thumb across his lips and he gently kissed the pad of her digit. "You can't guarantee that. And then where will we be?"

Fred heaved himself up from the ground, refastening his pants and belt buckle. "You're a funny woman, you know that?"

Daphne quirked an eyebrow as he helped her up from the grass. She wasn't sure yet if he was being serious or poking fun.

He continued, "We've gone into haunted houses, faced psychopaths in masks, you've been kidnapped more times than I can count…and yet, you're afraid of a four letter word. I never would've thought that of you."

When she didn't deny it, Fred leaned his forehead against hers, so close he could kiss her if he wanted. "You don't need to be scared, Daph. You know how I feel about you."

Daphne blushed at his honesty, quickly wanting to change the subject. "Friends?" She asked.

"Always."